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Thursday the 13th of August, 2026

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Be safe out there!

Tom

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Two soldiers killed in Fort Hood Apache helicopter crash near Salado, Texas

By Joe Villasana, Abbey Ferguson and Jessica Rajkumar

SALADO, Texas (KWTX) - The acting commanding general of the First Cavalry Division confirmed two Fort Hood soldiers were killed when an Army Apache helicopter crashed near Salado, Texas, Wednesday afternoon.

“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families, friends, and fellow Troopers of those involved during this incredibly difficult time,” said Brig. Gen. Ethan Diven, 1st Cavalry Division acting commanding general.

Fort Hood confirmed the aircraft was one of its AH-64 Apache attack helicopters. CBS News reported the crew was on a training mission out of Ford Hood when the crash occurred.

“Our immediate priority is securing the site and supporting the initial response efforts,” said Diven, who added Fort Hood personnel would remain on scene working in coordination with local first responders.

The helicopter crashed in a field off Dove Hollow Lane. Farm to Market Road 2843 was shut down for hours near the site of the crash, described as “violent” by Cliff Coleman with the Bell County Sheriff’s Office.

The fiery crash sparked a grass fire and several homes in the area were evacuated.

The Texas A&M Forest Service is at the scene and told KWTX the grass fire grew to about 155 acres Wednesday afternoon. At last check, it was 95 percent contained.

https://www.kwtx.com/2026/08/12/helicopter-crash-reported-bell-county-texas/

Pilot hospitalized after plane crash in West Ossipee

Jon Schoenheider

OSSIPEE, N.H. —

A pilot is in a hospital after a small plane crashed while landing at a grass airstrip inside an aviation community.

Ossipee police said the call came in around 10 a.m. Wednesday for the crash at Windsock Village Airport, a private air park where residents can fly aircraft in and out and store their planes in garages on-site.

The aircraft that crashed was identified as a Spirit SE-1. The Federal Aviation Administration classifies it as a single-engine, single-seat plane. The pilot was the only person on board.

FlightAware data shows the plane was in the air for about half an hour before crashing. It also took off from the same airstrip.

Ossipee police said the pilot was a man in his 70s who does not live in the air park.

"Once the emergency personnel got here, there were people already here from the community that were helping (him)," Ossipee police Chief James Sullivan said.

The pilot's injuries were not serious.

"It sounds like it was just a touch-and-go coming into the airport or coming in to visit some people," Sullivan said.

Bob Gillis said he's owned a house on the airstrip since 2024. According to him, he was flying nearby in his own plane and was looking to land.

Once he saw the wreck from the air, he redirected his flight path to land in Moultonborough instead.

Gillis, who keeps his Cessna 172 at the air park, said the plane that crashed is a type prone to trouble on the ground.

"That's a tail dragger, so they're susceptible to a lot of things, especially crosswinds," he said.

Gillis said grass runways like this one come with their own challenges. He noted the strip had turned to ice earlier in the winter, though he doesn't consider it a safety risk given the trees that shield the runway.

"Some of the other residents here have had situations (similar to the crash), like in the springtime when this gets soft," he said, referring to the irregular grass surface.

Community members helped clear the scene around 2 p.m. The private airstrip has since reopened.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash. Officials have not said when they will release their findings, including the cause.

https://www.wmur.com/article/ossipee-new-hampshire-plane/73415300

Shoe factory fire briefly closes nearby Orange County airport

by: Jocelyn Fiset

Firefighters have contained a three-alarm fire that engulfed a shoe factory Wednesday afternoon, sending a massive plume of smoke into the air and prompting the brief closure of nearby Fullerton Municipal Airport.

Fullerton Fire Department officials received a call at 12:04 p.m. reporting a fire inside a building in the 3600 block of Commonwealth Ave.

Firefighters were able to rescue some scared kittens in the area, but no injuries were reported.

The smoke from the fire could be seen for miles, which was especially concerning for residents who live right across the street from where the fire started.

The fire was at Capri Shoes, which sits just outside of airport property.

“Due to the heavy volume of fire and smoke, the airport was precautionarily shut down due to visibility,” said Fullerton Deputy Fire Chief Michael Meacham.

Employees who were inside said they were evacuated as firefighters arrived and began efforts to put the fire out, which was made all the more challenging by the summer heat.

“The biggest challenge today is just the weather conditions, the heat and the stress on the firefighters operating with a stubborn fire like that,” Meacham said.

Crews were able to get the fire contained to just the back of building.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Fullerton Municipal Airport is a regional relief airport in Orange County that is owned and operated by the city of Fullerton.

https://ktla.com/news/california/structure-fire-near-fullerton-airport/

NTSB Prelim: Dakota Cub Super 18

Eyewitnesses By Curlew Pond Reported That As The Airplane Flew Over The Pond, The Engine Started To Sputter

Location: Plymouth, MA Accident Number: CEN26FA257
Date & Time: July 16, 2026, 07:40 Local Registration: N84AJ
Aircraft: Dakota Cub Super 18 Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On July 16, 2026, about 0740 eastern daylight time, a Dakota Cub Super 18 airplane, N84AJ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Plymouth, Massachusetts. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. ADS-B data obtained from the FAA and data extracted from the airplane’s Garmin G3X showed that the airplane departed from Plymouth Municipal Airport (PYM), Plymouth, Massachusetts, about 0632, and flew south towards Katama Airpark(1B2), Edgartown, Massachusetts, and then flew back towards PYM, generally staying below 1,000 ft above ground level. The airplane flew a path similar to a straight-in for runway 33 until it was about 1.4 miles from the departure end of the runway.

According to preliminary information provided by the Massachusetts State Police, eyewitnesses by Curlew Pond reported that as the airplane flew over the pond, the engine started to sputter. The airplane initially continued toward the airport but turned back toward the water, and then the engine noise went quiet. The airplane glided to the water and then nosed over inverted.

The airplane was brought to a nearby shore, and turned back to the upright position. After initial documentation of the airplane, it was transported to the airport for further examination. Postaccident examination revealed the magneto switch was selected to the BOTH position and the fuel pump switch was in the ON position. The fuel selector was selected to the left tank. Neither wing fuel cap was recovered with the airplane. The left fuel tank contained less than 10 ounces of fuel and the right fuel tank contained less than 4 ounces of fuel; neither fuel tank was breached. Fuel lines from the fuel tanks to the fuel selector remained secured and when opened contained fuel. Using a water detection paste, the fuel from the left fuel tank line contained some water and the fuel in the right fuel tank line did not contain any water. A fuel sample from the gascolator bowl contained a mixture of fuel and water. It is unknown how much fuel may have drained out of either tank while the airplane was inverted in the water. The fuel line from the engine driven fuel pump to the fuel servo was empty of fuel. The fuel servo’s fuel screen was free of visual contaminants.

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for both airplane single engine land and airplane single engine sea.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov

Today in History

53 Years ago today: On 13 August 1973 Aviaco flight 118, a Caravelle 10R, crashed while on approach to La Coruña Airport, Spain, killing all 85 occupants.

Date: Monday 13 August 1973
Time: 11:40
Type: Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle 10R
Owner/operator: Aviaco
Registration: EC-BIC
MSN: 225
Year of manufacture: 1967
Total airframe hrs: 13118 hours
Cycles: 9380 flights
Engine model: P&W JT8D-7
Fatalities: Fatalities: 85 / Occupants: 85
Other fatalities: 0
Aircraft damage: Destroyed, written off
Category: Accident
Location: 3 km NE of La Coruña Airport (LCG) -    Spain
Phase: Approach
Nature: Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport: Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD/LEMD)
Destination airport: La Coruña Airport (LCG/LECO)
Confidence Rating:  Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
Aviaco flight 118, a Caravelle 10R, crashed while on approach to La Coruña Airport, Spain, killing all 85 occupants.

The Caravelle aircraft took off from Madrid-Barajas Airport at 08:30 GMT and proceeded normally to La Coruña Airport. At 09:14 radio contact was made with La Coruña tower and the flight crew reported 3 minutes away. The tower controller informed the flight that weather at the airport was below minima and that improvement would be slow. The flight crew then decided to hold over Lima Romeo Alpha and said they would report when holding.
Shortly thereafter they informed the tower that they would make an approach down to minima to get a more precise idea of the weather and would hold thereafter. The controller switched on the VASIS and at 09:21 informed the flight that visibility was around 350 m, although he could not see the VASIS at the threshold of runway 22. The flight then reported at 3000 feet beginning the approach. At 09:23 the controller reported a visibility of 600 m. At 09:24 the pilot said he would attempt to land, that he was 2200 feet on approach and had not yet entered clouds. At 09:28 ATC reported 800 m visibility, but that a light breeze was coming up and fog was again closing in from the sea. The crew reported to the tower that they had descended to minima. Since the ground could not be seen, they would therefore begin to hold. At 09:32 the flight crew reported holding at 6000 feet and requested to be informed of any change that might take place.
At 09:34 the controller reported a visibility of 400 m, that the VASIS was still visible. The flight crew then tried to make another attempt to land. At 09:36 the flight crew reported passing the LRA VOR on approach. The controller answered that the lights of the VASIS were no longer visible and that some fog had collected over the runway threshold. The pilot then decided to resume holding.
Weather gradually improved and at 10:20 ATC reported a horizontal visibility of 1500 m and a vertical visibility of 150 m which improved to 250-300 m within three minutes. The pilot acknowledged and said he was leaving 5000 feet for approach. At 10:31 the flight reported passing LRA. At 10:32 the flight reported discontinuing the approach and 6 minutes later the pilot said he was initiating another approach and would report over LRA. At 10:39 the pilot reported over LRA again. Shortly afterward the Caravelle contacted eucalyptus trees, struck the ground, and collided with houses. A fire erupted.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "Pilot violation of the regulations and instructions governing flight over national territory, and the international standards in force in Spain."

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